First Mass in the

Philippines

The first documented Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held on March 31, 1521, East er
Sunday. It was conduct ed by Fat her Pedro de Valderrama of Ferdinand Magellan's expedit ion
along t he shores of what was referred to in t he journals of Antonio Pigafet t a as "Mazaua".

First Mass in the Philippines

Location of Limasawa in Southern Leyte

Date March 31, 1521 (Easter Sunday)

Location Mazaua (present-day Limasawa, Southern

Leyte)
Today, t his sit e is widely believed by many historians and t he government to be Limasawa off t he
t ip of Sout hern Leyt e,[1][2] However, unt il at least t he 19t h cent ury, t he prevailing belief was t hat
t he first mass was held in But uan.[3] This belief is maint ained by some, who assert t hat t he first
mass was inst ead held at Masao, But uan.[4]

To end t he conflict for t he issue about t he first mass, t he Nat ional Historical Commission of t he
Philippines (NHCP) panel adapt ed t he recommendat ion[5] and unanimously agreed t hat t he
evidence and argument s present ed by t he pro-But uan advocat es are not sufficient and
convincing enough to warrant t he repeal or reversal of t he ruling on t he case by t he Nat ional
Historical Inst it ut e (t he NHCP's forerunner). It is furt her st rengt hen by t he evidence t hat it was
only aft er 22 years, in 1543—when a Spanish expedit ion led by Ruy López de Villalobos landed in
Mindanao.[6]

Landing on Philippine shores

Proclamation of the national shrine

Historical controversies

Government position

References

Further reading

External links
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Last edited 12 days ago by 103.62.153.98